(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a channel selection apparatus that is used to select or tune a television or other receiver to a particular channel/frequency. More particularly, it relates to an improved remote control unit that can more efficiently navigate the available channel selections, particularly when the available channels originate from more than one source.
(b) Description of Related Art
Consumers in the U.S. and elsewhere expect television equipment that can conveniently integrate and display programming from a variety of sources, such as conventional off-the-air channels (a.k.a., "free TV"), or cable, and direct-to-home (DTH) satellite broadcasts. For example, since 1994, DIRECTV.RTM. consumers have had access to nearly 200 channels of DTH broadcast programming material and other services, as well as locally broadcast channels. In particular, the manufacturers of the integrated/receiver/decoder (IRD) units that receive and process these DTH broadcasts have also provided convenient access to other programming sources. For example, the typical IRD can receive programming from other sources, e.g., an off-the-air antenna or cable decoder, and selectively route either the DTH programming or the off-the-air/cable (terrestrial) programming to the associated display.
In a typical existing DTH system, the viewer is required to perform multiple operations on their remote control to switch from viewing programming from one source to viewing programming from another source. For example, in switching from DTH to terrestrial viewing, the user may be required to press one button to turn the IRD's "DTH" mode off, press another button to select the IRD's "TV" mode, then enter the number of the desired terrestrial channel. In order to return to DTH, the viewer would have to enter into the television the channel number (e.g., "03") or input selection (e.g., "line1") at which the television receives DTH programming from the IRD, press a button to select the IRD's DTH mode rather than TV mode, then enter the number of the desired DTH channel.
Accordingly, there is need for an apparatus and method that simplifies how viewers make programming selections using a simple and inexpensive remote control, particularly when such programming originates from a variety of sources.